Ancient Ideas of the

Atom
A ll matter-whether in the form of
water, carbon, air,or mineral-consist of
atom, which are in turn made of
simpler particles
• Any substance that has mass
and can occupy space.
• It can be classified as SOLID,
LIQUID, GAS, AND PLASMA
 The foundation of modern
chemistry is the conception of
the atomic theory and the
discovery of the subatomic
particles of the atom
• Thales believed that,
because water was the permanent
entity, the earth floats
on water. Thales may have reasoned
that as a modification of water, earth
must be the lighter substance, and
floating islands do exist.
The foundation of modern chemistry is the
conception of the atomic theory and the
Anaximenes is best known for his doctrine
that air is the source of all things. In this
way, he differed with his predecessors like
Thales, who held that water is the source of
all things, and Anaximander, who thought
that all things came from an unspecified
boundless stuff.
• Viewing fire as the essential material uniting all
things, Heraclitus wrote that the world order is
an “ever-living fire kindling in measures and
being extinguished in measures.” He extended
the manifestations of fire to include not only fuel,
flame, and smoke but also the ether in the upper
atmosphere.
Characteristic of atom according to
Democritus
Alchemy: The Dark age of
Atomism
The theory of that all
matter is made up of
atoms was later called
ATOMISM and widely
attributed to Democritus
Ancient Chemistry- Alchemy, a mixture of black and
scientific knowledge with much superstition
-Early form of science/chemistry
The Philosopher's Stone was a
legendary alchemical substance
with magical properties.
The Philosopher's Stone was a legendary
alchemical substance with magical
properties.